Improvement in harvester-rakes



2 sheets-sheet 1 11.. A. M. HARRIS.

EARVBSTER RAKE. I No. 72,199. Patented Dec. 17,1867.

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A. M. HARRIS.

HARVESTER RAKE.

No. 72,199. Patented Dec. 17, 1867;

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PATENT QFFICE.

H. A. M. HARRIS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTER-RAKES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 72,199, dated December17, 1867.

To all whom it, may concern:

Be it known that I, H. A. M. HARRIS, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Harvester- Rakes, of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, and inwhichso much of a harvester to which my improvements are applied as isnecessary to illustrate my invention, as seen from the stubble side ofthe machine. Fig. 2 represents a similar view of a portion of the same,as seen from the divider side of the; machine. Fig. 3 is a view inelevation of the rake, as seen from the gearing side, with-its parts inthe attitude they assume when the rake is moving forward to enter thestanding grain. view of the same, the red and blue lines showingdifferent positions of the rake. Fig. 5 represents a view in elevationof a portion of the rake, as seen from the front, illustrating the modeof latching and unlatching the rake; and Fig. 6 is avertical centralsection through the axis of the-rake.

My invention relates to that class of automatic rakes for harvesters inwhich a series of combined reel and rake arms, continuously rotatingaround a common center, are caused successively to enter the standinggrain, and press it back upon the cutters, and, when severed, to sweepit back upon the platform, whence it is discharged when the rake comesround.

The improvements herein claimed consist, first, in a novel combinationof devices for lifting the rake suddenly at the end of its stroke,

' to avoid dragging the grain, and to diminish the power required tocarry it round to enter the standing grain; second, in a novel devicefor automatically throwing the rake into and out of gear; third, in anovel device for holdin g the rake-teeth rigidly down upon the platformwhen raking off, and for automatically turning up the teeth afterdischarging the gavel.

In the accompanying drawings, which exemplify one convenient mode ofcarrying out hinged fin ger-beamsor platforms.

Fig.4 is a similar the objects of my invention, the rake is shown assupported upon a post or frame, A, which maybe mounted upon the mainframe, the platform, or the heel of the finger-beam, to adapt it tomachines having either rigid or The rakearm B and beater-arms G aremounted, in this instance, on a tubular 'axle, I), turned by a crank, E,or other suitable driving-gear. F1 gure 1 represents a view 1nperspective of The rake-arm is pivoted to a lug, d, Figs. 1

land 6, on the axle, so as to swing radially toward or from it, beingprevented from yieldin g laterally by a radial guide, F, on the axle 1).

The beater-arms are rigidly held by braces F.

The rake-arm B is connected, by a gimbaljoint, I), to a link, G, in likemanner connected to a crank, h, on a crank-shaft, H, which revolvesinside the axle D, and is provided at its outer end with a crank andcounter-balance, I.

The rake-arm is so pivoted as to swing radially with respect to itscenter of motion, and also to turn axially in its bearings, as shown inFig. 1, and is turned at the proper moment by a compound lever, J,mounted on and turning with axle D. The end of this lever slides over astationary cam, K, fixed upon frame A. A spiral spring, j, on the levercauses it and the rake to turn quickly when the lever escapes from thecam. V

A spring-catch, L, mounted on the crank E, is, at the proper moment,thrown into contact with the weighted arm I, to move the rake, by meansof a guide, M, fixed upon the frame,

which presses it in until its tongue lstrikes the weighted lever andlifts it, as hereinafter described.

The operation of the rake is as follows As the machine advances throughthe field, rotary motion is communicated to rake-shaft D from the driving-gear in any proper and well-known way, and the parts revolve in thedirection indicated by the arrows in the drawings. The beater-arms, asthey successively come round to the front, drop into the standing grainin advance of the cutters, and press it back to be severed; and theircontinued backward movement sweeps the cut grain back upon the platform,leaving it there until the rake comes round to sweep it off.

In Fig. 3 the rake is shown as descending into the standing grain priorto commencing its backward movement to discharge the gavel. At thismoment, it will be seen, the crank E is in front of the counter-balanceI, which hangs vertically, the lever J just beginning to bear lightly onthe back of the cam K. As

the crank E passes back into a vertical posithe cam K, which is soshaped as to turn the rake, axially, downward and forward, as it movesbackward, thus keeping the teeth perpendicular and the rake-head in aline radial with its center of motion, by which means one end of therake is prevented from dropping off the platform before the other, andthus discharging the grain irregularly. By the time the crank E assumesthe vertical attitude (shown in red in Figs.4 and 5) the rake hasdischarged the gavel. At themoment of discharge the lever J drops fromthe cam the counterbalance is also simultaneously released, and dropsinto a perpendicular position, (shown in red in Fig. 4;) the link Gflexes suddenly downward; the rake is lifted quickly and turns on itsaxis; its teeth are turned up, and the rake-arm quickly drawn inwardtoward 7 its center of motion, thus diminishing its leverage as it goesforward to repeat its stroke.

As the rake moves forward, its teeth are turned down by the lever J, andthe rake is thrown outward by the combined action of the link G andlever J' into the proper position to re-enter the grain, and theabove-described operation is repeated.

It is obvious that the details of construction of my invention might bevaried in various ways without departing from the spirit of myinvention. For instance, a gear-wheel might be substituted for the crankE, and the latch L might pass through a hole in the face of the wheel.The counterbalance-lever might also be shortened and its form varied toadapt it to the varying conditions under which it is required tooperate.

It is evident that my improved rake and reel may readily be adapted toany harvester using an ordinary reel and that as the rake is supportedat the inner end only, no side draft is created by its weight bearing onthe divider end of the machine.

I have shown the rake as revolving on a horizontal axis; butmyimprovements obviously might be adapted to rakes having inclined axes.

What I claim herein as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

l. The combination, substantially as described, of a rake rotating on atubular axis with a crank-shaft, link, and counter-balance to hold therake down when raking off, to lift it quickly at the end of its backwardmovement, and to draw it inward when passing forward.

2., The combination, substantially in the manner described, of acontinuously-revolvin g rake with a counter-balance and latching andunlatchin g device.

3. The combination, substantially as de scribed, ofacontinuously-revolving rake having a pivotal movement in its supportwith a cam and compound lever, for the purposes both of turning the rakeaxially and of holding it in a line radial with its axis while rakingoff, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

H. A. M. HARRIS.

- Witnesses:

WM. B. DAYTON, W. OGLE.

